GIFT  OF 


N-> 


The 

Consolidation  of  Rural  Schools 

In  North  Dakota 


Prepared  By 

N.  C.  Macdonald,  M.  A. 

State  Inspector  of  Consolidated,  Graded  and  Rural   Schools  for  the 
State  of  North  Dakota. 


-I  • 


Published  by  the  State  Board  of  Education, 
of  North  Dakota,  December,  1913. 


JOURNAL   PUBLISHING   CO. 

Deviils  Lake,  N.  D. 

state  printers 

1913 


The 

Consolidation  of  Rural  Schools 

In  North  Dakota 


Prepared  By 

N.  C.  Macdonald,  M.  A. 

State  Inspector  of  Consolidated,  Graded  and  Rural  Schools  for  the 
State  of  North  Dakota. 


Published  by  the  State  Board  of  Education, 
of  North  Dakota,  December,  1913. 


JOURNAL    PUBLISHING   CO. 

Devils  Lake,  N.  D. 
state  printers 

1913 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


Page 

Preface    4 

Introduction 5 

I — The  present  status  of  consolidation 11 

2 — Benefits  of  consolidation ii 

(i)     Better  attendance   11 

(2)     Better  teachers  16 

(3(     Better  school  work 16 

(4)  Better  high  school  privileges 17 

(5)  Better^  organization 20 

(6)  Better  civic-social  opportunities. . . 20 

3 — Objections  to  consolidation 20 

(i)     Severe  weather  20 

(2)  Long  drives   20 

(3)  Bad  roads   21 

(4)  Sparsity  of  population 21 

(5)  The  cost    21 

4 — How  promoted  and  organized 26 

(i)     How  promoted  26 

(2)     How  organized   •  •  •  •  •  26 

5 — Transportation    'Z'j 

(i)     Family  transportation   30 

(2)     Public  transportation y 30 

6 — Open  country  cons6iidate4'?c3hT^(5l^ 30 

7 — Town  consoli4a,ted.  sphools . ..  ,\l\  .^y  .^ ■. . . .  31 

8 — A  detailed  st^tem^nt'of'thejl^nefits  pf' consolidation 33 


TABLES 

Page 

Table      I — Open  country  consolidated  schools 6 

Table    II — Town  consolidated  schools 7 

Table  III — Total  number  of  consolidated  schools. 9 

Table-Diagram      I — Eighth  grade  and  high  school  comple- 
tions    14 

Table-Diagram     II — Length  of  term  and  days  of  attendance.    14 
Table-Diagram  III— Qualifications  and  salaries  of  teachers..   15 

ILLUSTRATIONS 

Views  1-4 — Rural  and  consolidated  school  buildings 12-13 

Views  1-3 — Some  consolidated  school  activities 18-19 

Views  1-6 — A  few  more  consolidated  school  buildings 23-25 

Views  1-2 — Some  phases  of  transportation 29 

Views  1-6 — A  page  of  progress  in  North  Dakota 32 


PREFACE 


There  has  been  a  large  and  urgent  demand  on  this  office  for 
information  in  condensed  form  concerning  consolidation  of  rural 
schools.  In  addition  I  have  been  asked  for  my  views  concerning 
consolidation  many  times  each  month.  For  these  reasons  there 
has  been  prepared  for  publication  this  pamphlet  on  Consolidation 
of  Rural  Schools.  The  material  has  been  adapted  from  my  Sec- 
ond Annual  Report  to  the  State  Board  of  Education  and  is  here 
published  in  pamphlet  form  by  the  board.  During  the  past  two 
years  ending  June  30th,  1913,  I  visited  and  inspected  57  con- 
solidated schools  in  30  different  counties.  Prior  to  that  time  I  had 
served  a  number  of  years  as  city  superintendent  in  a  school  where 
consolidation  had  been  effected,  and  with  that  experience  and  this 
gained  by  observation  as  an  inspector  of  consolidated  schools, 
supplemented  by  reading  and  study,  I  am  more  fully  .convinced 
that  the  consolidated  school  is  the  only  solution  to  the  problem 
of  rural  school  improvement. 

This  pamphlet  then  is  published  with  the  hope  that  it  may  be 
one  of  the  factors  in  aiding  the  cause  of  rural  school  consolidation. 
It  is  not  claimed  for  this  pamphlet  that  it  is  exhaustive  in  any 
sense  of  that  term,  or  that  it  is  among  the  first  of  its  kind.  But, 
it  is  believed  that  it  gives  some  new  material  presented  from  the 
view  point  of  one  who  has  had  a  somewhat  extended  experience 
in  the  field. 

Valley  City,  North  Dakota,  December,  191 3. 

N.  C.  Macdonald. 


STATE   6F  north   DAKOTA 


CONSOLIDATION   OF   RURAL   SCHOOLS 


INTRODUCTION 

The  chief  support  of  a  Republic  is  education.  This  being  so, 
then  the  first  and  main  purpose  of  an  education  in  a  Republic  is 
to  train  the  future  citizens  in  such  a  way  that  they  may  appre- 
ciate highly  and  participate  intelligently  in  the  various  govern- 
mental activities;  and  second,  to  prepare  these  citizens  to  earn 
and  enjoy  a  good  living  in  the  various  fields  of  human  endeavor. 
This  is  the  prime  and  sole  function  of  the  common  school,  which 
includes  the  rural  school.  This  the  rurg,!  school  once  did,  but 
today  it  is  failing  in  its  mission  when  compared  with  the  city 
school.  It  has  been  a  great  institution.  It  is  yet  the  greatest 
Americanizing  agency  in  the  rural  community.  In  the  major- 
ity of  states  it  is  the  most  important  educational  institution,  for 
it  enrolls  in  these  states  the  majority  of  school  children,  and  to 
the  majority  of  them  it  gives  the  only  school  training  they  ever 
will  receive.  This  is  also  true  of  our  state.  According  to  the 
latest  available  statistics  there  are  now  in  the  state  5,077  public 
schools  with  an  enrollment  of  139,361  pupils.  Of  that  number  of 
schools  4,684  are  rural  (one-room)  schools  with  an  enrollment  of 
85,115.  This  means  that  the  great  majority  of  school  children  in 
the  state  are  enrolled  in  the  rural  schools.  Thus  i  is  most  im- 
portant that  we  improve  in  every  way  possible  the  rural  school*; 
for  much  of  the  vigor  and  life,  and  the  value  and  perpetuity  of  a 
free  government  depends  upon  it.  * 

We  have  too  many  small  and  weak  rural  schools  in  the  state 
and  nation.  In  the  majority  of  our  rural  schools  the  attendance  is 
poor /the  teachers  are  poorly  trained  and  underpaid,  supervision  is 
pitifully  inadequate,  high  school  privileges  are  lacking,  opportuni- 
ties to  satisfy  the  civic-social  life  interests  are  also  lacking,  too 
many  classes  are  taught  for  one  teacher  to  teach  properly,  the 
work  is  poor  and  the  results  are  of  low  grade.  This  is  only  'i 
part  of  the  indictment;  but  it  is  surely  sufficient  to  give  all 
thoughtful  men  and  women  much  concern  for  the  future  of  this 
school  and  the  state.  We  must  improve  the  rural  school  in 
every  way  possible;  but  improve  it  as  we  may  by  securing  bet- 
ter attendance  and  better  qualified  teachers,  yet  many  of  the 
serious  defects  will  still  remain.  There  ^is  only  one  way  to  im- 
prove these  schools  in  a  large  and  rapid  way  and  that  is  to  con- 
solidate them.  This  means  the  organizing  of  a  consolidated 
school  which  here  and  elsewhere  in  this  report  implies  among 
other  things  the  employment  of  at  least  two  teachers. 


CONSOLIDATION  OF  RURAL  SCHOOLS 


TABLE  I. 

Open  Country  Consolidated  Schools. 
(Not  located  on  a  railroad.) 


Name  of  P.  O.  Address 

District  of  Cterk 

Aired Alexander 

Arne   Hesper 

Badger __ . .  Cando 

Banner Weaver 

Beaulieu  Olga 

Blue  Hill Ryder 

Bonetrail Bonetrail 

Brooklyn Wheelock 

Caledonia Caledonia 

Clay  Mohall 

Cleveland Brocket 

Cleveland Verona 

Columbia New  Rockford 

Corinne  Courtenay 

Crofte Baldwin 

Currie  Overly 

Dahlen Petersburg 

Dovre Shollsmade 

Dymond Palermo 

Eden  Valley Sherwood 

Ellingdale Brazil 

Ellsworth Perth 

Fairview Sherwood 

Gopher Maza 

Goshen Durbin 

Grail Schafer 

Grey Daniels 

Grilley Upham 

Hardwheat Zion 

Hawkeye  Crosby 

Hettinger Chandlcx 

Hope Doyon 

Hope Vang 

Howell  Perth 

Huron  Clyde 

Irvine Churchs  Ferry 

Lake Devils  Lake 

Layton Bantry 


Name  of  P.  O.  Address 

District  of  Clerk 

Liberty Sheldon 

Lockwood Lansf  ord 

Logan  Fergus 

Maryville Belcour: 

Metcalf Cando 

Michigan Mohall 

Minto Wales 

Monroe  Perth 

Moore Enderlin 

Mount  Pleasant Calvin 

Newland Edmore 

North  Lemmon.Lemmon,  S.  D. 

No.   II Center 

No.  i8 Center 

No.  19 Kathryn 

No.  69 Litchville 

Olga Olga 

Oxford Rolld 

Pleasant  Valley Esmond 

Paris  Woodworth 

Picton Rolla 

Prospect  Edmore 

Ramsey  Grove Park  River 

Rose  Valley Gardner 

Russel  Thorne 

Sauk  Valley McGregor 

Scovell   Lisbon 

Shell  Valley Thorne 

Sheyenne    Power 

Sioux  Trail Rudser 

Spring  Valley Wirch 

St.  Croix Regent 

Stillwater Scranton 

Tepee Havelock 

Uxbridge  Leal 

Washington New  Rockford 

Wolf  Creek Rolette 


STATE    OF   NORTH    DAKOTA 


TABLE  II. 

Town  Consolidated  Schools. 

Name  of  Town 

Name  of  Town 

Abercrombie 

Hampden 

Adrian 

Hansboro 

Ambrose 

Hazelton 

Amenia 

Hesper 

Anamoose 

Hettinger 

Beach 

Hogue 

Belfield 

Horace 

Bentley 

Honeyford 

Berthold 

Hickson 

Berwick 

Inkster 

Bisbee 

Jud 

Bordulac 

Kensal 

Braddock 

Kramer 

Brocket 

Lakota 

Buford 

Lansford 

Burnstad 

Lawton 

Burt 

Litchville 

Calvin 

Linton 

Cando 

Marmarth 

Chaffee 

McViUe 

Christine 

Mekinock 

Churchs  Ferrv 

Michigan 

Clyde 

Mohall 

Courtenay 

Mott 

Dawson 

Napoleon 

Deering 

Nekoma 

Douglas 

Newville 

Driscoll 

New  England 

Dunseith 

New  Rockford 

Egeland 

Norwich 

Elliott 

Page 

Erie 

Palermo 

Esmond 

Pekin 

Fairdale 

Penn 

Fairmont 

Perth 

Forest  River 

Pettibone 

Fredonia 

Petersburg 

Cackle 

Pickert 

Gardner 

Pillsbury 

Gilby 

Plaza 

Gladstone 

Reeder 

Glenfield 

Rhame 

Goodrich 

Regent 

Grace  City 

Richardton 

CONSOLIDATION  OF  RURAL  SCHOOLS 


TABLE   II — Continued 


Name  of  Town 

Robinson 

Rock  Lake 

Rolette 

Rolla 

Sarles 

Sawyer 

Sentinel  Butte 

Sharon 

Sheldon 

Shields 

Steele 

Stanton 

St.  John 

Strasburg 


Name  of  Town 

Tappen 
Taylor 
Thompson 
Tioga 
Tolna 
Towner 
Upham 
Underwood 
Velva 
Walcott 
Weaver 
Webster 
i  Wolford 


STATE   OF  NORTH   DAKOTA 


TABLE  III. 

Total  Number  of  Consolidated  Schools. 


County 

Open 
Country 

Town 

Total 

Adams 

I 

3 
3 

I 

2 
I 
O 
I 
2 

7 

I 

2 

o 

2 
O 
0 
0 

I 

o 
3 

0 
0 

o 

2 

o 

2 

I 

o 

0 

I 

2 
2 
O 

I 

4 
4 
3 
I 

2 
2 
2 
2 
2 
I 
0 
I 

7 
5 
o 

I 

0 

I 

5 
3 
I 

5 
o 

5 
5 

2 

4 
7 
o 
o 
I 
I 
I 

2 

.     6 

0 

o 
I 
6 

2 

I 

4 

3 

5 

5 

3 

4 
■■> 

Barnes 

Benson 

Billing's   

Bottineau   

Bowman    . .    . . 

Burke .' 

0 

Burleigh 

o 

Cass 

9 

12 

Cavalier   

Dickey 

T 

Divide   

3 

n 

Dunn 

Eddy   *   * 

3 

5 

3 
I 

Emmons  

Foster 

Golden  Valley 

Grand  Forks  

6 

Grigfsrs 

o 

Hettinger   ; 

8 

Kidder    

5 

2 

LaMoure 

Loeran   

4 

9 
o 

McHenry    

Mcintosh    

McKenzie 

2 

McLean 

2 

Mercer  

I 

Morton   

T 

Mountrail   

Nelson 

Oliver . . 

2 

Pembina  

0 

Pierce  

2 

Ramsey   

lO 

Ransom 

6 

Renville  

4 

5 

Richland 

10 


CONSOLIDATION  OF  RURAL  SCHOOLS 


TABLE  IIL— Continued 


County 


Open 
Country 


Total 


Rolette  . 
Sargent  . 
Sheridan 
Stark  ... 
Steele  .  . 
Stutsman 
Towner  . 
Traill  . . . 
Walsh  .. 
Ward  . . . 
Wells  .. 
Williams 


7 
o 
o 
o 
o 

2 

8 
I 
I 
o 
o 
3 
75 


4 
o 
I 

4 

2 
2 

7 
o 

2 

3 
o 

2 

115 


II 
o 

I 
4 

2 

4 

15 

I 

3 
3 
o 

5 
190 


STATE   OF  NORTH    DAKOTA  11 


I.     The  Present  Status  of  Consolidation. 

Consolidation  is  no  longer  a  new  and  untried  thing.  It  has 
been  in  practical  and  successful  operation  for  nearly  forty  years, 
the  first  school  being  organized  in  Massachusetts  in  1874.  Since 
that  time  it  has  grown  to  include  35  states  and  all  the  Canadian 
Provinces.  Ten  years  ago  there  were  only  9  counties  in  the  state 
in  which  there  were  only  11  consolidated  schools  in  all.  Last 
year  there  were  in  37  counties,  49  open  country  consolidated 
schools,  93  town  consolidated  schools,  and  263  partially  consoli- 
dated schools ;  today  there  are  43  counties  with  190  consolidated 
schools,  115  of  these  being  town  and  75  open  country.  In  addi- 
tion there  are  308  partially  consolidated  schools.  Therefore  we 
are  justified  in  saying  that  during  the  past  year  the  growth  of 
consolidation  has  been  very  great  and  rapid  in  this  state.  This 
is  due  largely  to  the  state  aid  grant.  Other  states  are  having  a 
similar  experience  under  somewhat  similar  conditions. 


2.     Benefits  of  Consolidation. 

The  benefits  of  consolidation  are  many  and  important.  The 
major  benefits  are  as  follows:  (i)  Better  attendance  including 
longer  terms ;  (2)  better  teachers  including  better  supervision ; 
(3)  better  school  work  in  the  grades ;  (4)  better  high  school  priv- 
ileges; (5)  better  organization;  and  (6)  better  civic-social  oppor- 
tunities. Time  and  space  will  permit  me  here  to  refer  only  briefly 
to  these  major  benefits. 

(i)  Better  Attendance.  Consolidation  is  followed  by  better 
attendance  including  longer  terms.  The  per  cent  of  attendance 
in  these  schools  is  75  as  against  6o  in  the  rural  school,  and  the 
term  is  nine  months  as  against  seven.  This  is  due  to  several 
causes.  The  teams  come  and  go  over  the  roads  and  through 
severe  weather  that  children  cannot.  Then  there  are  the  incen- 
tives to  complete-  the  grades,  because  the  work  is  more  interest- 
ing and  there  is  high  school  work  to  do  later  on,  and  there  are 
athletic  activities  to  attract  and  hold  the  boys  as  well  as  the 
girls.  Thus  the  parents  will  sacrifice  more  to  keep  their  children 
in  a  school  that  is  doing  more  and  better  work  than  the  old  one- 
room  school.  It  is  always  much  easier  to  obey  and  enforce  the 
compul?^ry  attendance  laws  in  the  consolidated  districts  than 
elsewhere  and  the  cause  is  not  far  to  seek. 


12 


CONSOLIDATION  OF  RURAL  SCHOOLS 


A  few  school  views  that  present  a  strong  argument  for  con- 
solidation of  rural  schools  in  North  Dakota. 


No.   1 


Located  in  one  of  the  old  and  prosperous  communities  of  the  state. 


No.  2 

Gladstone  School  District,   LaMoure  County. 

View  one  (1)  is  of  the  old  type  of  one-room  school.  There  are  approximately 
4,500  of  these  in  the  state.  View  two  (2)  is  of  the  new  type  of  one-room  school. 
There  are  less  than  150  of  these  in  the  state.  They  possess  most  of  the  dis- 
advantages of  the  old  type,  such  as  too  many  grades  and  classes  for  ofte  teacher 
to  handle  properly;  and  are  generally  with  too  small  enrollment,  ana  too  low 
attendance  for  the  best  work  to  be  done.  They  are,  however,  a  vast  improve- 
ment over  the  old  type  just  as  the  graded  consolidated  school  is  a  vast  improve- 
ment over  the  new  type  of  one-room  school, 


No.  3 

Uxbridge  Consolidated  School  in  Barnes  County 


No.  4 
Grilley  Consolidated  School  in  McHenry  County 

Views  three  and  four  (3  and  4)  are  of  two  four-room  consolidated  schools  in 
the  open  country.  Each  was  erected  to  take  the  place  of  four  one-room  schools. 
They  are  worthy  monuments  to  the  good  judgment  of  those  who  paid  for  their 
erection.  High  school  work  is  done  in  both.  The  attendance  and  work  are  much 
better  than  such  could  possibly  be  in  the  one- room  schools  they  supplanted. 


14 CONSOLIDATION  OF  RURAL  SCHOOLS 

A   Few  Table-Diagrams   that   Show   Why   Consolidation  of 
Rural  Schools  is  Needed. 


Table-Diagram  I. 

Per  cent  of  pupils  completing  the  eighth  grade  and  the  high 
school  based  on  the  enrollment  in  the  first  grade  eight  and  twelve 
years  previous : 

(a)  For  Eighth  Grade — 

1.  *  Country  Boys  (homes  on  farms — 1913 7 

2.  Country  Girls   12 

3.  City  Boys  (1912) 50 

4.  City   Girls    80 

(b)  For  High  School— (1912) 

Country  Boys Yz 

Country   Girls    1^2 

3.  City  Boys '. 123/2 

4.  City    Girls    25 


Table-Diagram  II. 

Average  length  of  term  in  days  and  average  number  of  days 
attended  by  each  pupil  enrolled  during  school  year  1911-1912:      * 

(a)  Length  of  Term — 

1.  For  All  Rural  Schools 140 

2.  For  Consolidated  Schools 180 

3.     For  City  Schools 180 

(b)  Days  Attended  by  Pupils  Enrolled — 

I.     For  All  Rural  Schools 84 


2      For  Consolidated  Schools 135 


3.     For  City  Schools 149 


STATE  OF  NORTH  DAKOTA 15 

Table-Diagram  III. 

Average  qualifications  and  average  salaries  of  teachers  during 
school  year  1911-1912: 

(a)  Average  Qualifications — 

1.  For  Rural  School  Teachers  —  Second  Class  Elementary 
Certificates — about  eight  years  of  training. 

2.  For  Consolidated  School  Teachers — Second  Class  Profes- 
sional Certificate — about  twelve  years  of  training. 

3.  For  City  School  Grade  Teachers — Second  Class  Profes- 
sional Certificate — about  twelve  years  of  training. 

(b)  Average  Salaries  on  12-Month  Basis — 

1.  For  Rural  School  Teachers $29.85 

2.  For  Consolidated  School  Teachers $45.04 

3.  For  City  School  Teachers $47.63 


16 CONSOLIDATION  OF  RURAL  SCHOOLS 

(2)  Better  Teachers.  While  the  rural  school  ought  to  have 
and  pay  well  for  a  properly  trained  teacher,  yet  it  costs  more  to 
secure  such  a  teacher  for  the  rural  than  it  does  for  the  consoli- 
dated school.  The  teacher  is  but  human  after  all.  She  likes  the 
companionship  of  her  fellow  teachers.  She  will,  like  most  mor- 
tals, avoid  the  hardship  and  drudgery  of  the  one-room  school.  To 
be  sure,  there  are  a  few  who  will  do  this  w^ork,  but  as  a  general 
rule  she  will  teach  for  less  in  the  town  and  cities  even  though  she 
pays  more  for  board  and  room.  It  is  also  true  that  it  is  much 
easier  to  get  qualified  teachers  to  teach  in  the  consolidated  schools 
than  in  the  rural  schools ;  and  they  do  not  get  them.  To  be  one  of 
two  or  three  teachers  with  the  companionship  of  these  teachers 
while  teaching  two  or  three  grades  in  some  15  or  16  classes  is 
much  more  pleasant  and  desirable  than  to  be  isolated  from  one's 
fellows,  teaching  some  25-35  classes  in  somic  6  or  7  grades.  Then, 
too,  the  results  that  can  ^be  attained  with  the  same  labor  in  the 
consolidated  schools  are  so  much  greater  than  in  the  rural  school. 
This  condition  appeals  very  strongly  to  most  teachers,  and  very 
properly,  too.-  In  connection  with  the  subject  of  teaching,  it  may 
be  noted  here  that  rural  school  supervision  is  pitifully  inadequate. 
The  average  number  of  visits  of  the  county  superintendent  per 
school  per  year  is  less  than  two  (1.8),  while  for  the  city  schools  it 
is  more  than  twenty  per  school  (department)  per  year,  despite 
the  fact  that  the  city  superintendent  and  his  teachers  will  average- 
with  four  years  more  training  than  the  county  superintendent  and 
his  teachers.  This  accounts  in  part  for  the  low  rural  school  effi- 
ciency, but  with  consolidation  there  will  be  trained  principals 
to  do  most  of  the  work  of  supervision,  and  it  will  be  much  easier 
for  superintendents  to  do  more  work  in  this  line  then,  for  there 
will  be  less  schools  to  supervise. 

(3)  Better  School  Work.  In  the  57  consolidated  schools  that 
I  have  been  in  during  the  past  two  years,  I  have  found  the  work 
to  be  much  better  than  in  the  best  rural  schools  I  have  been  in  ac 
any  time.  Last  year  I  conducted  a  series  of  tests  in  spelling  and 
arithmetic.  These  were  given  to  the  fifth  and  eighth- grades  in- 
clusive in  30  rural  schools,  30  graded  schools,  30  consolidated 
schools  and  10  city  schools.  The  results  are  as  follows:  The 
grand  average  in  both  subjects  for  the  5-8  grades  for  city  schools 
was  90  per  cent,  graded  schools. 80,  consolidated  schools  80  and 
rural  schools  55.  For  the  eighth  grade  alone  the  grand  average 
for  both  tests  for  city  schools  was  90,  for  graded  schools  80,  for 
the  consolidated  schools  81  and  for  the  rural  school  43.  The 
pupils  in  the  rural  schools  were  naturally  just  as  bright  as  those 
in  the  other  schools ;  but  too  many  classes  for  the  teacher,  poor 


STATE  OF  NORTH  DAKOTA  |7 

attendance,  and  poor  teaching  had  left  them  far  behind.  Consoli- 
dation will  remedy  this  and  other  conditions  also.  Then  when 
we  compare  the  eighth  grade  completion  for  boys,  the  graded  and 
the  consolidated  school,  which  are  too  low,  leave  the  rural  school 
far  behind.  In  the  schools  inspected,  it  is  nearly  three  times  as 
great,  and  for  the  city  schools  it  is  seven  times  as  great.  Here  is 
the  great  waste  in  the  rural  school.  But  consolidation  will  im- 
prove the  grade  and  quantity  of  school  work,  and  of  course  in- 
crease the  eighth  grade  completion  list. 

(4)  Better  High  School  Privileges.  At  the  close  of  the  school 
year  1911-1912,  there  were  enrolled  in  the  state  high  schools 
2,463  boys  of  which  only  340  were  country  boys  and  the  other 
2,123  were  city  boys.  There  are  in.  the  state  practically  three 
times  as  many  country  boys  of  high  school  age  as  city  boys.  This 
means  that  6,000  country  boys  were  not  enrolled  in  the  high 
school  when  compared  to  the  city  boys.  There  should  have  been 
at  least  6,000  city  boys  in  the  high  schools,  and  this  would  mean 
that  there  should  have  been  then  18,000  country  boys.  At  the 
close  of  the  same  year,  only  12^  per  cent  of  the  city  boys  com- 
pleted the  high  school  course.  This  is  a  poor  showing.  But  only 
one-half  of  one  per  cent  (^  per  cent)  of  the  country  boys  com- 
pleted this  course.  This  means  unequal  educational  opportuni- 
ties, and  that  means  the  beginning  of  a  caste  system — the  ruled 
and  the  ruling  classes.  It  will  not  do  to  reply  that  there  were 
country  boys  enrolled  in  state  institutions  doing  high  school 
work,  for  there  were  more  city  boys,  but  not  more  than  600  for 
both  groups.  We  do  not  complain  that  more  city  boys  than  coun- 
try boys  were  enrolled  in  and  completed  high,  school  courses,,  but 
we  do  regret  that  the  number  of  country  boys  was  not  larger. 
The  principal  cause  for  this  condition  is  that  the  cost  of  sending 
the  country  boy  to  the  high  school  is  very  much  higher  than  that 
in  the  case  of  the  city  boy.  It  will  cost  the  farmer  from  $125  to 
$150  more  than  the  city  parent  when  the  boy  is  sent  off  to  school. 
This  is  a  hjgh  tax;  and  for  many  it  is  a  prohibitive  one.  If,  how- 
ever, the  high  school  is  located  in  the  district,  then  the  farmer  and 
his  boy  are  on  an  equal  footing  with  the  city  parent  and  his  boy. 
Where  consolidated  schools  have  been  established  long  enough  to 
organize  a  high  school,  it  will  be  found  that  the  high  school  enroll- 
ment on  a  percentage  basis  is  just  as  high  as  that  of  the  average 
city  high  school.  Then  in  addition  the  boy  is  at  home  in  those 
years  when  he  needs  the  kindly  care  and  counsel  of  father  and 
mother.  Besides,  he  is  in  a  position  to  do  some  work  on  the  farm 
that  will  be  a  good  thing  for  him  and  the  home.  Then  with  the 
organization  of  the  high  school,  there  is  an  opportunity  to  enrich 
the  course  of  study  by  having  well  taught  such  new  subjects  as 


18 


CONSOLIDATION  OF  RURAL  SCHOOLS 


A    FEW    VIEWS   THAT   SHOW   SOME   WHOLESOME   CONSOLIDATED 
SCHOOL  ACTIVITIES 


No.  1 — A  Group  of  High  School  Athletes 


These  are  all  country  boys  in  the  Uxbridge  Open  Country  Consolidated  School 
in  Barnes  County.  It  shows  that  athletics  will  assist  in  holding  boys  in  school 
in  the  country  as  well  as  in  the  town  or  city.  These  boys  have  been  well  and 
wisely  cared  for  by  patriotic-minded  parents.  Four  in  this  group  expect  to  com- 
plete the  four-year  high  school  course  in  their  home  school  next  year.  Their 
principal,  Mr.  J.  F.  Taylor,  who  is  their  coach,  is  with  them  as  he  should  be. 
He  is  a  normal  college  graduate.  This  school  ranks  as  a  First  Class  Consolidated 
School. 


STATE   OF  NORTH    DAKOTA 


19 


No.2— A  Little  Domestic  Art 


No.  3 — Some  Manual  Training 


Views  two  and  three  show  Industrial  Work  in  the  Open  Country  Cleveland 
Consolidated  School  in  Nelson  County.  These  views  show  what  can  be  done  in 
a  consolidated  school  to  enrich  the  course  of  study. 


20 CONSOLIDATION  OF  RURAL  SCHOOLS 

agriculture,  manual  training,  domestic  science,  public  speaking, 
music  and  drawing.  This  can  be  done  in  a  way  not  now  possible 
in  the  one-room  school ;  for  it  is  neither  fair  nor  wise  to  force  the 
teaching  of  these  subjects  into  a  program  already  overcrowded 
and,  so  much  so,  that  there  is  not  sufficient  time  to  give  thorough 
drilling  in  the  three  R's,  which  we  must  have  if  we  are  to  preserve 
our  free  government.  When  high  school  privileges  or  better 
grade  school  privileges  are  considered,  the  consolidated  school  is 
cheaper  by  half  than  the  one-room  school.  There  is  no  compari- 
son. 

(5)  Better  Organization.  This  means  that  where  you  will 
find  25-35  classes  taught  by  one  teacher  this  number  will  be  cut  in 
two  in  the  consolidated  school ;  and  therefore  one  of  the  two  most 
serious  defects  in  the  rural  school  will  be  eliminated.  This  means 
then,  more  and  better  results  with  less  work  and  drudgery  on  the 
part  of  the  teacher,  also  greater  progress  on  the  part  of  the  pupils. 

(6)  Better  Civic-Social  Opportunities.  For  many  people  and 
particularly  for  young  people,  country  life  is  depressing  and  dis- 
couraging on  account  of  the  drudgery  and  the  lack  of  opportuni- 
ties to  satisfy  the  natural  desire  for  companionship,  community 
activities  and  general  leadership.  The  civic-social  activities  can  be 
carried  on  in  a  way  not  now  possible  in  the  one-room  school ;  for 
in  the  consolidated  school,  the  people  gather  to  take  part  in  lit- 
erary activities,  to  listen  to  inspiring  lectures,  ta.  deepen,  re- 
new and  increase  their  friendships,  to  learn  best  how  to  grow 
young  and  old  in  a  natural  and  wise  way.  ^This  is  now  being 
done  where  there  are  consolidated  schools. 

3.     Objections  to  Consolidation. 

The  objection  to  consolidation  are  few  and  immaterial.  How- 
ever, they  must  be  recognized  and  will  be  considered  here  as 
briefly  as  it  is  possible. 

(i)  Severe  Weather.  It  is  claimed  by  the  opponents  of  con- 
solidation that  it  is  impracticable  in  North  Dakota  on  account  of 
the  severity  of  winter  weather.  The  answer  is  that  in  the  first 
place  the  North  Dakota  winter  weather  is  really  not  so  severe  as 
these  people  claim,  and  in  the  second  place  it  is  more  humane  to 
let  horses  rather  than  children  endure  the  discomforts  of  in- 
clement weather.  I  have  interviewed  several  scores  of  children  in 
consolidated  schools,  and  all  without  a  single  exception  strongly 
insist  that  they  would  sooner  ride  6  or  7  miles  than  walk  i  or  2 
miles.  With  rigs  properly  built  and  equipped,  there  is  no  hard- 
ship imposed  upon  children  on  this  account. 

(2)  Long  Drives.  Children  can  drive  5  or  6  miles  in  as 
short  a  time  as  they  can  walk  a  third  of  that  distance.    It  is  not 


STATE   OF  NORTH   DAKOTA 21 

necessary  for  children  to  drive  a  greater  distance  than  6  miles  if 
there  is  a  sufficient  number  of  rigs  supplied ;  and  these  can  be  had 
in  any  district. 

(3)  Bad  Roads.  If  the  roads  are  too  bad  for  horses  to  travel 
over  they  surely  are  too  bad  for  school  children.  Save  the 
strength  of  the  children  for  something  more  useful.  Horse 
flesh  is  cheaper  than  human  flesh. 

(4)  Sparsity  of  Population.  If  the  school  population  is 
small,  it  means  a  rural  school  of  small  enrollment  and  small  at- 
tendance with  little  spirit  of  wholesome  rivalry  to  stimulate  all  to 
do  their  best.  The  remedy  is  to  consolidate  even  where  the 
school  population  is  sparse. 

(5)  The  Cost.  This  is  undoubtedly  the  greatest  and  most 
persistent  objection  to  consolidation,  much  as  some  may  dislike 
to  admit  it.  The  fact  is  that  consolidation  does  cost  more  in 
the  aggregate  than  the  one-room  school,  and  it  ought  to  cost 
more,  for  it  is  a  vastly  better  system.  However  when  the  true 
cost,  that  is,  the  cost  per  pupil  per  day  attended  is  considered,  the 
consolidated  school  costs  less  than  the  rural  school.  At  the  close 
of  the  school  year  1911-1912,  this  item  for  the  city  school  was  24 
cents,  for  the  graded  school  28  cents,  for  the  consolidated  s/:hool 
32  cents,  and  for  the  rural  school  35  cents.  But  the  average  ag- 
gregate cost  of  the  consolidated  school  is  greater  than  that  of  the 
rural  school,  and  there  is  the  chief  objection.  The  self-binder, 
tog,  costs  more  money  than  does  the  cradle  scythe  it  replaced, 
as  does  the  steam  thresher  when  compared  with  the  flail.  But  no 
one  uses  that  as  an  obection  against  the  use  of  either  one,  for  they 
give  greater  returns  for  the  money  inevsted  in  them.  And  so  the 
consolidated  school  gives  much  greater  returns  in  the  greater 
number  of  better  trained  boys  and  girls  that  it  enrolls  than  would 
ever  be  possible  in  the  old  school  it  supplanted.  The  consolidated 
school  costs  about  the  same  as  the  village  or  small  town  school 
which  calls  for  a  tax  rate  of  six  mills  less  than  that  paid  by  cities 
supporting  state  high  schools.  The  rural  resident  is  not  over- 
burdened with  taxes  when  compared  with  the  city  taxpayer.  He 
can  still  raise  two  million  dollars,  and  be  below  his  city  neighbor. 
In  any  event  the  money  spent  on  tobacco  by  the  farmers  in  this 
state  would  build  and  equip  a  consolidated  school  in  every  dis- 
trict in  this  state.  When  the  better  attendance,  high  school 
privileges  and  state  aid  are  considered  it  is  a  much  cheaper  school 
than  any  one-room  school  can  ever  be.  It  is  not  necessary  to 
build  a  costly  building  and  equip  it  in  a  costly  fashion.  Two  of 
the  old  one-room  buildings  placed  together  and  with  two  well 
qualified  teachers  would  make  a  most  excellent  beginning,  and 


22 CONSOLIDATION  OF  RURAL  SCHOOLS 

would  be  vastly  better  than  to  have  both  the  schools  running 
separately  as  one-room  schools.  This  has  been  done  with  much 
success  in  several  places.  Then,  too,  the  transportation  can  be 
reduced  to  a  minimum  by  having  family  transportation  with  or 
without  cost  to  the  district.  This  is  also  being  done  and  in  such 
cases  no  additional  tax  is  needed.  But  all  districts  can  afford  a 
higher  grade  of  consolidation  than  this,  and  should  have  it  at  an 
early  date. 

A  frame  building  that  will  provide  two  class  rooms  sufficiently 
large  to  seat  60  or  70  pupils,  a  full  basement  that  will  provide 
rooms  for  classes  in  domestic  science,  agriculture  and  manual 
training,  and  a  room  for  fuel  and  furnace  can  be  built  for  sums 
arranging  from  $3,000.00  to  $4,500.00.  The  average  cost  of  the 
two-room  consolidated  school  will  run  about  $3,500.00.  For  the 
four-room  consolidated  school  building  with  a  full  basement  the 
cost  will  run  from  $6,000.00  to  $8,000.00,  the  average  cost  being 
about  $7,000.00  To  build  either  class  of  buildings,  bonding  can 
be  resorted  to  in  which  case  there  will  be  no  additional  tax,  ex- 
cept a  small  tax  to  pay  the  interest  on  the  bonds  and  to  provide 
for  the  sinking  fund.  Where  the  two-room  school  is  established, 
two  teachers  are  employed,  and  four  busses  or  vans  are  hired  the 
annual  cost  to  the  district  would  run  about  $3,500.00.  The  four- 
room  school  with  four  or  five  teachers  and  as  many  vans  would 
take  about  $4,500.00  annually  to  maintain  it,  in  which  case  the 
tax  rate  would  be  about  that  paid  in  the  small  towns  or  villages, 
but  would  be  lower  than  that  paid  in  the  cities  supporting  state 
high  schools.  If  the  family  transportation  is  used  the  cost  of  this 
item  can  be  reduced  to  about  one-half. 

I  wish  to  repeat  again  that  the  consolidated  school  is  in  the 
end  a  cheaper  school,  for  it  is  a  better  school  in  every  way  than 
the  one-room  rural  school  can  ever  hope  to  be. 


STATE    OF    NORTH    DAKOTA 


23 


A  Few  More  Views  That  Show  Consolidated  School  Buildings. 


# 

(►^n 

-^fOflllHi 

r£V?_^iB| 

^gl 

r           "          1 

No.  1 — Caledonia  Consolidated  School  fn  Traill  County 

This  is  an  open  country  consolidated  school.  Four  teachers  are  employed, 
and  high  school  work  is  done.  The  total  enrollment  is  126.  It  is  ranked  as  a 
First  Class  Consolidated  School. 


A 

1 

6Sm 

%, 

No.    2 — Tioga    Consolidated    School 
Williams  County 


In      No.  3 — McVIIIe  Consolidated  School  In 
Nelson  County 


Views  2  and  3  are  of  two  four-room  consolidated  schools.  In  Tioga  four 
teachers  are  employed,  and  the  total  enrollment  is  110.  In  McVille  five  teachers 
are  employed,  and  the  total  enrollment  is  145.  High  School  work  is  done  in  both. 
Each  serves  the  entire  township.  They  are  ranked  as  First  Class  Consolidated 
Schools. 


24 


CONSOLIDATION  OF  RURAL  SCHOOLS 


No.  4 — Layton  Consolidated  School  In  McHenry  County 


^  ^ 

.«^«^^ 

fp^hHe. 

»   •-*&»■ 

19  H^ap'. 

"iFf  |«m^E 

ii^lt-*^;*^. 

No.  5 — Minto  Consolidated  School  In  Cavalier  County 


STATE   OF  NORTH   DAKOTA 


25 


5 


No.  6 — Howell  Consolidated  School  in  Towner  County 

Views  four,  five  and  six  are  open  country  consolidated  schools.  These  are 
splendid  monuments  to  the  commendable  public  spirit  of  the  people  who  made 
them  possible.  The  view  of  the  one-room  school  is  one  of  the  eleven  that  was 
eliminated  when  the  three  consolidated  schools  were  built.  There  are  in  the 
state  over  4,500  one-room  schools  as  shown  in  view  seven,  which  are  4,500  too 
many.  In  the  day  of  the  sod  shack  they  were  possibly  good  enough,  but  they 
are  not  good  enough  today.  We  need  new  country  schools,  and  the  views  given 
here  show  that  they  are  coming  and  coming  rapidly. 


No.  7 


26 CONSOLIDATION  OF  RURAL  SCHOOLS 

— — — ^^— ^— ^— ^— — — ^— — ^^— ^ __, 

4.     How  Promoted  and  Organized. 

(i)  How  Promoted.  This  calls  for  investigation  and  publi- 
city. The  teacher  who  is  on  the  ground  is  the  one  to  develop  and 
guide  the  sentiment  in  favor  of  consolidation.  This  can  be  done 
by  talking  with  individual  taxpayers  and  patrons,  and  with  the 
children  in  and  out  of  school  hours.  Then  the  county  superin- 
tendent should  assist  in  this  matter  in  several  different  ways. 
All  the  available  literature  should  be  secured  by  the  teacher  and 
superintendent,  which  should  be  furnished  to  the  leaders  in  the 
community.  The  county  superintendent  is  the  one,  however,  who 
must  direct  its  promotion  on  a  large  scale  with  such  co-operation 
as  the  state  can  furnish.  Before  buildings  are  erected  and 
equipped,  in  fact  before  the  vote  is  taken  on  the  subject,  a  com- 
mittee of  the  board  with  the  county  superintendent  should  visit 
two  or  three  consolidated  schools.  This  will  give  the  movement 
greater  consideration  and  weight  in  the  minds  of  those  on  the 
doubtful  list. 

(2)  How  Organized.  There  are  five  common  ways  to  effect 
consolidation.    These  are: 

(a)  Sections  43  and  44  of  the  191 1  School  Laws  provide  for 
the  consolidation  of  sciaool  districts.  This  is  done  by  the  county 
superintendent  and  the  county  commissioners  on  petition  of  the 
majority  of  the  voters  in  the  district  to  be  consolidated. 

(b)  Section  88  of  the  191 1  School  Laws  provide  for  a  sort  of 
partnership  consolidated  school  in  which  two  or  more  districts 
may  unite  to  support  the  consolidated  school.  This  is  a  good 
method  for  either  town  or  country. 

(c)  Section  84  of  the  School  Laws  of  191 1  (Amended  1913) 
provides  for  the  consolidation  of  schools  in  the  district.  It  takes 
a  majority  vote.  This  is  the  method  for  those  in  counties  where 
the  township  system  prevails. 

(d)  Section  232' provides  that  the  board  shall  provide  trans- 
portation  for  those  living  more  than  one  and  one-quarter  miles  to 
beyond  three  and  one-quarter  miles.  This  is  another  way  to  effect 
consolidation  in  the  town  and  rural  community.  It  must,  however, 
be  noted  that  where  there  are  nine  or  more  children  of  school  age 
living  two  and  one-half  miles  from  the  nearest  school,  a  school 
and  a  teacher  can  be  demanded.  But  this  would  even  then  give 
a  territory  of  about  20  sections  which  is  not  too  small  to  maintain 
a  good  consolidated  school. 

(e)  Article  IX  of  the  School  Laws  of  191 1  deals  with  the 


STATE   OF  NORTH   DAKOTA 27 

organization  of  special  districts;  and  as  there  is  no  limit  to  the 
territory  that  may  be  incorporated,  consolidation  can  thus  be  ef- 
fected. This  is  where  villages  and  towns  located  in  the  corner 
or  side  of  their  districts  could  easily  and  properly  organize  a  con- 
solidated school.  It  is  to  be  commended  where  the  rural  residents 
refuse  to  give  up  their  one-room  schools  when  living  within  5  or  6 
miles  of  the  village  or  town  school. 

In  this  connection  it  may  be  stated  here  that  the  State  Board 
of  Education  has  defined  a  consolidated  school  to  be  one  where 
all  these  conditions  obtain,  viz:  (i)  At  least  two  teachers  are 
employed;  (2)  at  least  eighteen  contiguous  sections  are  served; 
and  (3)  transportation  is  provided  for  those  living  beyond  a  two 
and  one-half  mile  limit  when  such  is  requested  by  the  patrons 
living  therein.  For  purposes  of  classification  all  requirements 
in  addition  to  these  as  stated  in  the  Elementary  School  Manual 
must  be  complied  with  in  order  to  secure  aid  as  a  state  consoli- 
dated school  of  either  class.  To  schools  that  so  classify,  aid  in 
the  sums  of  five  and  six  hundred  dollars  or  pro  rata  share  thereof 
is  granted  annually  by  the  state.  A  total  sum,  however,  of  only 
ten  thousand  dollars  annually  is  now  available.  This  is  too  small, 
but  it  is  at  least  a  beginning.  It  is  hoped  that  within  the  near 
future  this  sum  will  be  materially  increased. 

Here  it  may  also  be  properly  said  that  to  extend  and  hasten 
the  growth  of  consolidation  we  must  have  more  state  aid  and 
better  laws  to  facilitate  its  organisation.  Each  consolidated 
school  should  receive  annually  from  $1,200  to  $1,600.  This  should 
be  provided  for  by  a  state  tax  of  at  least  one-third  mill  and  .1 
county  tax  of  at  least  one  mill.  Then  the  laws  pertaining  to  the 
organization  of  consolidated  schools  should  be  amended  and  har- 
monized. The  county  commissioners  and  the  superintendent 
should  have  optional  power  to  consolidate  schools  when  and 
where  possible,  subject  to  appeal  to  the  state  board;  and  when 
petitioned  for  such  b-y  a  majority  of  the  patrons  in  the  territory 
to  be  consolidated  should  be  required  to  do  so.  They  should  also 
be  empowered  to  district  the  county  for  purposes  of  consolidation 
and  submit  this  matter  to  a  vote  of  the  people.  Transportation 
should  be  furnished  by  the  district  to  persons  living  only  beyond 
the  two  and  one-half  mile  limit.  With  that  aid  and  these  laws 
the  number  of  consolidations  in  our  state  could  be  increased  five 
fold  within  the  next  four  or  five  years. 

5.    Transportation. 

The  sticking  point  in  consolidation  is  without  doubt  the  mat- 
ter of  transportation.     It  has  given  the  greatest  trouble,  and  it 


28 CONSOLIDATION  OF  RURAL  SCHOOLS 

has  been  the  largest  feature  in  the  additional  cost.  But  there  are 
districts  where  it  has  given  no  trouble  and  has  cost  very  little. 
As  the  law  is  now  the  amount  that  shall  be  paid  for  transporta- 
tion is  left  entirely  within  the  control  of  the  school  board.  But  in 
consolidated  districts  transportation  must  be  furnished  by  the 
board  either  under  section  84  (Amended  1913)  or  section  232 
(Amended  1913)  ;  and  in  non-consolidated  districts  it  must  be 
furnished  according  to  the  zone  system  for  those  living  beyond 
one  and  one-quarter  miles.  The  two  kinds  of  transportation  in 
practice  in  the  state  are  family  and  public. 


STATE  OF  NORTH  DAKOTA 


29 


A  Few  Views  That  Show  Some  Phases  of  Transportation. 


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No.  1— Public  Transportation 

This  is  at  the  Layton  Open  Country  Consolidated  School  in  McHenry  County. 
They  use  three  such  rigs.  Public  transportation  is  more  expensive  than  the 
family  system  of  transportation,  but  it  results  in  larger  and  more  regular  attend- 
ance and  makes  it  easier  for  all  to  get  their  children  to  school.  These  young 
people  are  happier  than  usual  at  this  time,  for  the  horses  and  not  themselves 
will  have  to  travel  over  the  wet  and  muddy  roads. 


No.  2 — Family  Transportation 

This  is  at  the  Uxbridge  Open  Country  Consolidated  School.  Only  a  part  of 
the  rigs  are  shown  here.  This  method  of  transportation  is  cheaper  than  the 
public  system  of  transportation.  Either  method  is  better  in  every  way  than  to 
have  the  pupils  get  to  the  one -room  school  as  best  they  may  which  is  commonly 
the  case  under  the  old  rural  school  system. 


30 CONSOLIDATION  OF  RURAL  SCHOOLS 

(i)  Family  Transportation.  This  is  done  by  the  district 
paying  the  pupils  so  much  for  each  day's  attendance.  This  ranges 
from  10  to  25  cents  per  pupil  per  day.  Then  a  certain  graduated 
sum  is  paid  according  to  the  distances  traveled.  This  ranges 
from  5  to  25  cents  per  pupil  per  day.  And  again  the  family  is 
paid  a  stipulated  sum  for  all  the  children  attending.  This  varies 
from  two  to  seven  dollars  per  family  per  month.  In  some  cases 
the  money  that  would  be  used  for  transportation  has  been  used 
to  pay  part  of  the  living  expenses  of  those  pupils  who  must  board 
out  in  order  to  attend  the  central  school.  This  ranges  from  two 
to  four  dollars  per  pupil  per  month.  For  family  transportation 
the  average  sum  paid  per  child  per  year  transported  at  the  close 
of  the  school  year  1911-1912  was  $15.56. 

(2)  Public  Transportation.  In  this  case  the  district  provides 
transportation  by  hiring  drivers,  paying  from  $45  to  $75  per 
month.  In  the  latter  case  the  vans  and  horses  are  furnished  by 
the  driver.  In  thirty  consolidated  schools  last  year  the  average 
sum  paid  was  $70  per  month  per  driver  when  the  equipment  was 
furnished  by  the  driver,  otherwise  it  was  $55  when  the  vans  were 
furnished  by  the  district.  In  the  matter  of  securing  better  at- 
tendance and  making  it  easy  for  all  to  get  their  children  to 
school,  the  public  system  is  to  be  preferred  to  the  family  system. 
At  the  close  of  the  school  year  1911-1912  the  average  cost  per 
pupil  per  year  transported  was  $28.05,  being  nearly  double  that 
of  the  family  transportation.  There  are  a  few  districts  where  all 
agree  to  do  the  transportation  free  of  charge  to  the  district  and 
this  of  course  materially  reduces  the  cost  of  consolidation. 

*   6.     Open  Country  Consolidated  Schools. 

The  open  country  consolidated  schools  are  those  that  are  lo- 
cated off  the  railroads.  There  are  now  75  of  these  schools,  five  of 
which  will  not  be  in  operation  until  this  fall.  This  last  year  there 
were  only  49.  ThQ  list  given  is  as  complete  and  as  accurate  as 
could  be  obtained.  This  is  a  good  showing,  yet  it  could  be  1,200 
instead  of  75.  But  a  good  beginning  has  been  made.  When  pos- 
sible, consolidation  should  be  effected  in  connection  with  the 
town  or  village.  However,  this  cannot  be  done  in  the  great  ma- 
jority of  the  school  districts,  and  when  not,  the  natural  and  logi- 
cal place  for  consolidation  is  of  course  in  the  open  country.  How- 
ever, as  the  state  develops  the  railroads  will  cover  practically 
every  township  in  the  state  which  will  mean  the  town  consoli- 
dated schools  will  supplant  the  rural  and  the  open  country  consol- 
dated  schools  in  these  townships.    The  most  enthusiastic  country 


STATE    OP   NORTH   DAKOTA  3^ 

life  advocate  need  not  fear  the  small  town  and  village ;  for  these 
are  the  country's  strong  friends  and  faithful  allies.  And  they  arc 
the  logical  and  natural  places  to  effect  consolidation. 

7.     Town  Consolidated   Schools. 

There  appear  in  the  list  given  115  town  consolidated  schools. 
Last  year  this  list  was  93.  Here,  too,  there  has  been  great 
growth.  There  could  be,  however  300  instead  of  115.  I  repeat 
again  that  the  natural  and  logical  place  to  effect  consolidation  is 
in  the  town  or  village.  Here  the  farmer  comes  to  sell  his  produce, 
to  buy  his  supplies,  to  get  his  mail,  to  get  a  rest  from  the  work 
and  toil  of  the  farm.  This  makes  it  the  natural  place  for  him  to 
send  his  children  to  school.  Town  consolidation  is  a  good  thing 
for  the  town,  but  we  contend  that  it  is  a  better  thing  for  the  coun- 
try, and  the  best  thing  for  the  state.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  prin- 
cipals and  superintendents  will  actively  aid  the  movement  of 
town  consolidation.  When  the  town  is  in  or  near  the  center  of 
the  township  a  consolidated  school  can  be  organized  under  sec- 
tions 84  or  232  or  Article  IX.  It  is  my  opinion  that  section  84  or 
Article  IX  provides  the  best  method.  When  the  town  is  in  the 
corner  or  at  the  side,  then  section  88  or  Article  IX  provides  the 
best  method. 


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No.    1 — The    Red    River 
Ox-Cart 


No.  2 — The  N.  P.   Express 


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No.  3 — The  Sod  Shanty 
on  the  Claim 


No.  4 — The  Splendid  Home  on  the  Farm 


No.  5 — The  One- Room 
School 


No.  6 — The  Open  Country  Consolidated  School 


View  five  is  of  a  one-room  school  located  in  one  of  the  oldest  and  richest 
communities  in  the  state.  It  has  been  here  for  26  years.  There  are  over  4,500  of 
these.  View  six  is  of  the  Cleveland  Consolidated  School  in  Nelson  County.  Good 
work  is  being  done  here.  There  are  less  than  eighty  of  these  schools;  there 
could  be  over  1,200.  But  progress  is  taking  place  and  soon  the  one-room  school 
will  disappear  as  did  the  ox- cart  and  the  sod  shack. 


STATE  OF  NORTH  DAKOTA  33 


(8)     A  Detailed  Statement  of  the  Benefits  of  Consolidation. 


( I 

(    2 

(3 
(4 
(  S 
(6 

(7 
(8 

(9 
(lo 
(II 

(12 

(13 
(14 

(15 
(i6 

(17 
(i8 

(19 

(20 
(21 
(22 

(23 
(24 

(25 


Increases  the  attendance. 

Makes  attendance  more  regular. 

Increases  the  enrollment. 

Keeps  the  older  pupils  in  school  longer. 

Provides  high  school  privileges  at  one-third  the  cost. 

Makes  possible  the  securing  of  better  trained  teachers. 

Results  in  higher  salaries  for  better  trained  teachers. 

Makes  possible  more  and  better  grade  work. 

Improves  industrial  conditions  in  the  country. 

Enriches  the  civic-social  life  activities. 

Conserves  more  largely  the  health  and  morals  of  the 

children. 
Increases  the  number  of  eighth  grade  completions. 
Provides  adequate  supervision. 
Reduces  truancy  and  tardiness.  * 

Develops  better  school  spirit. 
Gives  more  time  for  recitations. 
Increases  the  value  of  real  estate. 
Produces  greater  pride  and  interest  in  country  life. 
Prevents  the  drift  to  the  larger  towns  and  cities. 
Brings  more  and  better  equipped  buildings. 
Eliminates  the  small  weak  school. 
Creates  a  school  of  greater  worth,  dignity  and  useful 

ness. 
Makes  possible  a  more  economical  school. 
Provides  equal  educational  opportunities.    . 
Gives  much  greater  and  better  results  in  every  way. 


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